Fun & Functional Outdoor Fire Pits

Outdoor fire pits add interest, entertainment, ambience and warmth to your outdoor entertaining areas. They’re a great way to enjoy the Aussie outdoors during cooler months and they are fabulous statement pieces or focal points within landscaped backyards.

What is a fire pit?

Fire pits are round bowls made of heat proof metal or steel and set on pedestal bases or legs. Designed to contain a small fire, metal or steel fire pits can be a rustic or modern landscape feature with practical uses.

Even though they look fabulous, backyard fire pits aren’t just for outdoor decoration. They can be used for outdoor heating and even cooking as some fire pits include a grill. Of course nothing beats toasting marshmallows with loved ones over a garden fire pit!

The fuel you need to light an outdoor fire pit includes some newspaper or fire starters, some dry kindling and dry firewood.

Which is the best fire pit to get?

Wood burning fire pits deliver ambient warmth with design differences centred around:

• Base types
• Bowl dimensions
• Appearance
• Functionality

The base types include different styles of legs from tripod to cross-shaped to stands, and simple pedestal bases. While different bases might change the height of a round fire pit, your choice to go with legs, stands or a pedestal fire pit is based mainly on aesthetics.

The bowl dimensions range in depth, width and height. Some small fire pits are as low as 20cm from the ground to the top of the pit, and others are as tall as 50cm. Round fire pits vary in widths between about 58cm wide to 75cm wide in a large fire pit.

Much of your decision will come down to which metal fire pit you prefer the appearance of and which works with the vibe in your outdoor space and the style of your outdoor furniture. Choose from a naturally rustic appearance or a modern cast iron look.

If you want to use your fire pit for cooking, something the kids might enjoy doing with you, then a fire pit with grill is a good idea.

Where can you put a fire pit?

A fire pit should never be placed on a combustible surface such as a timber deck, dry grasses or on an outdoor rug.

You should always position a fire pit in an open space not on balconies, beneath low-hanging trees or under pergola roofs.

A metal fire pit can emit a lot of heat downwards, so don’t place it on flammable dry grasses or dried tree litter. The perfect place for a backyard fire pit is within a landscaped section of your yard designed with open space and a non-combustible base such as gravel or paving.

It may be tempting to have your outdoor fire pit positioned close to outdoor lounges, but remember sparks can fly and fires - even in fire pits - can generate a lot of heat. Protect outdoor patio furniture, plants, outdoor umbrellas, outdoor dining furniture and other accessories by keeping a generous distance.